Tottenham Hotspur’s difficulties this season extended into the Europa League, as they fell to a frustrating 1-0 defeat against AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash.
The match’s decisive moment came in the 1st half when an unfortunate own goal from Lucas Bergvall gifted the Dutch side the advantage heading into the return leg in North London.
Bergvall’s mishap occurred when Koopmeiners delivered a dangerous corner into the box.
As Parrott attempted to clear the ball, it ricocheted off Bergvall and into Tottenham’s net, leaving goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario helpless.
Despite the setback, the young midfielder showed resilience and composure, making key defensive contributions throughout the remainder of the match.
Spurs struggled to create meaningful opportunities, finishing with an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.44 compared to AZ’s 1.57.
Vicario was called into action multiple times to keep the deficit at just one goal, but Ange Postecoglou’s men failed to find the attacking spark needed to break through AZ’s defensive setup.
Following the final whistle, Bergvall was seen raising his hands in apology to the travelling Spurs supporters.
BBC Sport reported that the Swedish youngster acknowledged his costly mistake while joining his teammates in applauding the away fans.
Although his own goal proved to be the difference on the night, Bergvall demonstrated his determination by recovering well in the second half.
His response suggests he is eager to move forward and contribute positively in the return leg.
With the tie still open, Tottenham must produce a significantly improved display at home to turn the result around.
The second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium presents an opportunity for redemption, but before that, Postecoglou’s side must first navigate an important Premier League fixture against Bournemouth.